Chair or other piece of furniture and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A chair or other piece of furniture can include a built-up frame including at least a portion of a premade plastic chair, such as an off-the-shelf plastic lawn or deck chair. The frame can have a seat and a backrest shaped to accommodate a person. Cushioning material can be installed over the frame. A cover can be installed over the cushioning material. Another kind of frame including plastic can be used instead of the built-up frame. The cover can be affixed to the frame or can be a removable slip cover. The cover can include sports jersey material and can be made from stock unstitched jersey pieces. A drawer, plush ornament, recess, or sports equipment can be provided at a lower supporting portion of the chair. Feet made of sports equipment can be attached to the bottom of the frame. A backrest opening can receive a piece of sports equipment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/790,958, filed Mar. 8, 2013, which issued on May 24, 2016 as U.S.Pat. No. 9,345,330, the entire contents of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to furniture, such as chairs.

BACKGROUND

Furniture, such as chairs, can suffer from a number of problems.

Chairs may be heavy and difficult to rearrange within a room. Lighterchairs may be unsafe for heavy occupants or easy to damage if nottreated gently. Chair upholstery is also susceptible to damage orstaining by food or drink. These problems can be intensified when chairsor other furniture are used in a sports-viewing environment, such as ina rec. room or bar.

Chairs designed for use by children can suffer from similar problems.

In addition, chairs used in these environments are typically made to beexclusively used as seating and provide little or no other functionalityto users.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention, a chair or other pieceof furniture can include a built-up frame including at least a portionmade of plastic, such as a premade plastic chair. The built-up frame canhave a seat and a backrest shaped to accommodate at least one seatedperson. Cushioning material can be installed over the built-up frame. Acover can be installed over the cushioning material.

According to another aspect of the present invention, another kind offrame including plastic can be used instead of a built-up frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the cover can beaffixed to the frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the cover can be aremovable slip cover.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the cover caninclude sports jersey material and can be made from stock unstitchedjersey pieces.

According to other aspects of the present invention, one or more of adrawer, plush ornament, recess, and sports equipment can be provided ata lower supporting portion of the chair.

According to another aspect of the present invention, feet made ofsports equipment can be attached to the bottom of the frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an opening can beprovided at the backrest to receive a piece of sports equipment.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a chair includes aframe including a seat and a backrest shaped to accommodate at least oneseated person, cushioning material installed over the frame, and aremovable slip cover installed over the cushioning material. Theremovable slip cover can be made of sports jersey material, a jacket, aT-shirt, a tracksuit, or other suitable material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate, by way of example only, embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a built-up frame for the chair.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the built-up frame assembled.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the built-up frame with cushioningmaterial in the seat recess.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the built-up frame with cushioningmaterial installed.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of further cushioning material installed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cover being installed.

FIG. 7 is a close-up view of region “A” of FIG. 6 showing the coverbeing attached to the frame.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the seat cushion being installed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the chair turned upside-down showing thecover being attached to the base.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the chair turned upside-down showingfeet installed.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the chair turned upside-down showinghockey pucks installed as feet.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the chair turned upside-down showing aslip cover.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the chair turned upside-down showing aslip cover removably attached to the chair using a zipper.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a frame according to anotherembodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair with afront drawer.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair with aside drawer.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair with aplush ornament.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair withrecess in the lower portion.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair with anopening at the backrest for displaying sports equipment.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a chair frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term chair as used in this disclosure is not limited to furniturethat seats a single person and may be taken to mean a piece of furniturethat seats more than one person (e.g., a loveseat, sofa, etc).

With reference to FIG. 1, a chair 20 includes a seat 22, a backrest 24,armrests 26, and a lower supporting portion 28, which supports the seat22, backrest 24, and armrests 26 above the floor 30 when the chair 20 isset upright on the floor 30, as depicted.

The seat 22 and backrest 24 are shaped to accommodate at least oneseated person. The chair 20 can shaped and sized to accept any size ofoccupant, such as a large adult or a small child.

The armrests 26, in this embodiment, are formed as continuous with theseat 22 and backrest 24, such that no opening exists between thearmrests 26 and the seat 22 or backrest 24. The seat 22 and backrest 24are similarly continuous. This may have the advantage of reducing orpreventing the risk of injury, such as injury that may occur if a childwere to have a body part become lodged in such an opening. Lack of suchopenings may also make the chair 20 easier to clean.

The chair 20 includes a cover 34 that may be made of any suitablefabric. In some embodiments, the cover 34 is made of upholstery fabric.In this embodiment, the cover 34 is made of sports jersey material.Sports jersey material may include one or more materials such as nylon,polyester, cotton, blends of such materials, and the like. Sports jerseymaterial may be wholly or partially formed of one or more layers ofmesh. Moreover, the cover 34 need not be homogenous, but can includedifferent types of sports jersey materials used together. Using sportsjersey material for the cover 34 may advantageously result in the cover34 having increased toughness, durability, breathability, stainresistance, and tear or cut resistance. In other embodiments, othermaterials, such as upholstery fabric, can be used for the cover 34.

The cover 34 may further include a team logo 36, a sports league logo38, a player number 40, a player name 42 (on the back of the chair,hidden; or on the front of the lower portion 28), and other visualelements 44 of sports jerseys, such as portions of team color,contrasting color, and similar. The locations shown are examples, andthe logos 36, 38, player number and name 40, 42, and other visualelements 44 can be placed at various locations on the cover 34. Forexample, player number 40 and/or name 42 can be placed on the seat 22surface. Further, each of these elements 36-44 can be individuallyincluded or omitted for a particular cover 34. In this way, the cover 34can be used to display a sports jersey or elements thereof, while alsoserving a useful function by protecting the chair 20.

The cover 34, in this embodiment, is made from stock unstitched jerseypieces available from jersey manufacturers as intermediate pieces duringthe jersey manufacturing process. This can advantageously save theeffort of having to unstitch seams of a finished, off-the-shelf jersey.Moreover, this can improve the appearance of the cover 34 because thereis less risk of fraying the edges of the jersey pieces or otherwisedamaging the jersey as there may tend to be when unstitching a finishedjersey. However, in other embodiments, the cover 34 may include jerseypieces obtained from unstitching a finished jersey.

The cover 34 on its exterior may include one or more pockets 46 forstoring items, such as snacks or drinks, within reach of the personseated on the chair 20. In this embodiment, each of several pockets 46is formed by an additional layer of cover material and is located at thesupporting portion 28, specifically, at the lower front corners of thechair 20. One or more pockets 46 can be included at other locations onthe chair 20, such as the side or the back, in addition to or instead ofpockets 46 at the front lower corners of the chair 20.

The chair 20 may further include a feature 48, such as a drawer, recess,plush ornament, piece of sports equipment, or the like, located at thesupporting portion 28. Drawers will be discussed in detail furtherbelow.

When the feature 48 includes a recess, as depicted, the recess may beused to store items, play games, or shelter pets. The recess may beshaped and given the appearance of a goal related to the sport indicatedby the sports jersey material used for the cover 34. For example, whenhockey jersey material is used, the recess may be made to look like ahockey net and may be shaped to function as a miniature hockey net in acasual game of hockey.

When the feature 48 includes a plush ornament, such an ornament mayinclude the mascot of the team indicated by the sports jersey material,a plush version of sports equipment (e.g., a plush football), andsimilar. As the chair 20 need not be made to reflect a sport, the plushornament can include other items, such as a stuffed animal or character,which may appeal to children and may assist in training children toremain seated.

The feature 48 can include a piece of sports equipment, such as a sportsball, netting material, or the like. Such equipment can be modified toinclude a fastener (e.g., hook-and-loop material, clips, etc) forpermanent or removable attachment to the cover 34 at the lower portion28 or other part of the chair 20.

The feature 48 may be located at the front of the chair 20, as depicted,or on a side or back of the chair 20. Multiple features 48 may beprovided at different locations.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a built-up frame 60 for the chair 20.The built-up frame 60 is internal to the chair 20 and defines the basicshape of the chair 20.

FIG. 3 shows the built-up frame 60 assembled. The pieces of the frame 60may be affixed together using screws, staples, nails, adhesive, and liketechniques.

The built-up frame 60, in this embodiment, includes a plastic chair 62,which may be a premade plastic chair, such as a plastic lawn or deckchair of the kind commonly available off the shelf. Using anoff-the-shelf lawn or deck chair may be advantageous because such chairsare readily available and inexpensive. In addition, using a plasticchair 62 may save forestry resources. Further, many kinds of premadeplastic chairs are strong (e.g., some are rated for 300 lbs; 136 kg) andlight, and can therefore provide a high strength-to-weight ratio to thechair 20. This can be advantageous when the chair 20 is used by sportsfans because the chair 20 has a reduced chance of being damaged byroughhousing and yet is light and easy to reposition to accommodateviewing of sporting events or other activities. It should be noted thatthe plastic chair 62 need not be a premade or off-the-shelf item and canbe custom made with the general properties of off-the-shelf lawn or deckchairs.

When an off-the-shelf plastic lawn or deck chair 62 is used, the legs 64of the plastic chair 62 may be reinforced by the lower portions 66 ofthe legs 64 being cut off and then reattached to overlap, at 67, the nownew lower portions of the legs 64. Such reattachment can be performed bynesting the cut-off lower portions 66 with the legs 64 and applyingscrews. This may provide for increased weight capacity and stability ofthe finished chair 20. When the plastic chair 62 is custom made, thelower portions of the legs may be designed as thickened sections toattain similar reinforcement characteristics.

In other embodiments, the legs 64 are entirely or nearly entirely cutoff to facilitate attachment of other kinds of legs or a swivel orrocker base.

The built-up frame 60, in this embodiment, further includes a base 68, aseat reinforcement portion 70, and a front support 72.

The base 68, in this embodiment, is a flat and sturdy piece of materialto which the legs 64 of the plastic chair 62 may be affixed. The base 68may be made of wood, plastic, or other suitable material. In thisembodiment, the base 68 is made from a sheet oriented strand board(OSB). The shape, size, and weight of the base 68 can be selected toinhibit the chair 20 from tipping. The weight of the base 68 can bespecifically selected by taking into account the lightness of theplastic chair 62, so as to lower the center of gravity of the chair toreduce the risk of tipping while maintaining an overall lightness to thechair 20. In other embodiments, the base 68 includes a swivel or rockermechanism.

The seat reinforcement portion 70, in this embodiment, is affixed atopthe seat 63 and between the armrests 65 of the plastic chair 62. Theseat reinforcement portion 70 includes a central recess or opening 74(FIG. 3) to accommodate cushioning material. The seat reinforcementportion 70 also provides structural reinforcement to the seat 63 of theplastic chair 62 and may be sized to increase the seat area of thefinished chair 20 to be larger than the seat area of the plastic chair62, which may allow for additional cushioning material and increasedcomfort. The seat reinforcement portion 70 may be made of wood, plastic,or other suitable material. In this embodiment, the seat reinforcementportion 70 is made from several cut pieces 76, 78, 79 of OSB and awooden board 80 affixed together by screws. The front piece 76 isconvexly curved to provide a suitable front edge for comfort, while therear pieces 78 are concavely curved to define the central recess oropening 74. The front spacer piece 79, which can be obtained from afront cut-out of the base 68, is installed on the bottom side of thefront piece 76 to support the front piece 76 on the seat 63 of theplastic chair 62. The front piece 76 overhangs the seat 63 of theplastic chair 62 to provide a larger seating surface. The wooden board80 is inserted under the rear pieces 78 to support the rear pieces 78above the seat 63 of the plastic chair 62 to provide a comfortable seattilt to the finished chair 20, while also increasing the depth of thecentral recess or opening 74 and the amount of cushioning material thatcan be accommodated within the central recess or opening 74. The seatreinforcement portion 70 need not be made from separate pieces. In otherembodiments, the seat reinforcement portion 70 is made from a singlepiece of material.

The front support 72, in this embodiment, is positioned between the base68 and the front piece 76 of the seat reinforcement portion 70. Thefront support 72 provides additional support for the seat of thefinished chair 20, particularly when the front piece 76 of the seatreinforcement portion 70 is sized to overhang the plastic chair 62. Thefront support 72 may be made of wood, plastic, or other suitablematerial. In this embodiment, the front support 72 is made from severalwooden boards attached together to form an H-shaped frame. When a draweris provided at the front of the chair 20, the front support 72 may serveto define the opening for the drawer and support hardware such as drawerrunners.

As shown in FIG. 3, the built-up frame 60 can further include panelling82 affixed at the outer extents of the built-up frame 60. The panelling82 extends vertically between the base 68 and the upper-most edges ofthe plastic chair 62 (i.e., top of the backrest and armrests) and servesto provide a uniform appearance to the non-seating portions (i.e., back,sides, bottom-front) of the finished chair 20. The panelling 82 need notextend perfectly vertically, but rather extends substantiallyvertically, where substantially vertically is defined as the directionbetween the base 68 and the upper regions of the plastic chair 62.Further, when the chair 20 is finished, the panelling 82 is covered bythe cover 34, and so the panelling 82 can prevent the cover frombecoming stretched or otherwise damaged by external forces applied tothe non-seating portions of the finished chair 20. The panelling 82 maybe made from high-density fiberboard (HDF) sheet, cardboard, woodveneer, thick fabric, plastic or foam sheet, and the like. The panelling82 need not provide support to the occupant of the chair, but rather,provides an overall shape to the chair 20 and may further providestructural stiffness to assist in retaining the overall shape of thechair 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, cushioning material 90 can be inserted into thecentral recess or opening 74 to increase comfort in the finished chair20. In this embodiment, the cushioning material 90 is provided as twoseparate pieces. Further, cushioning material 92 is installed over thearmrests 65 of the plastic chair 62 and, further, along the top of thebackrest, at 93, of the plastic chair 62. Cushioning material caninclude foam or similar material affixed to the built-up frame 60 bystaples, nails, or similar.

Also in this embodiment, a back panel piece 94 can be affixed to theback rest of the plastic chair 62 just above the seat area. The backpanel piece 94 is used for securing the cover 34 to the built-up frame60.

FIG. 5 shows further cushioning material installed over the built-upframe 60. Further cushioning material 96 is added over the armrests 65and a back cushion 98 is added over the backrest of the plastic chair62. In addition, cushioning material 100 is added at the front of theseat. Shrouding 102, such as thin foam sheet or fabric, can be installedover the seat and supporting portion of the chair, so as to protect thecover 34 from becoming damaged by contact with the built-up frame 60.Additional shrouding can be installed at other locations where thebuilt-up frame 60 is exposed or where cushioning material is thin.

FIG. 5A shows an additional layer of cushioning material 103 installedover the cushioning material 93 and the back cushion 98 and pulledaround and stapled to the back of the chair 20 at the back panelling 82.

FIG. 6 shows the cover 34 pulled over the backrest portion of thecushioned frame 60. The back panel piece 94 is shown in hidden line. Thecover 34 can be affixed to the back panel piece 94 to secure the cover34 to the frame 60 and create an apparent seam 104 (FIG. 1). The cover34 can be permanently affixed to the back panel piece 94 using staples,nails, or similar, or can be removably fastened using clips,hook-and-loop material (e.g., Velcro), a zipper, a drawstring, or othertype of temporary fastener.

With reference to FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the cover 34 ispermanently stapled, at 106, to the back panel piece 94, which iscovered by a piece of protective fabric 108 to prevent the back panelpiece 94 from damaging the cover 34. The cover 34 is stapled at aninside seam or fold. This can help prevent the cover 34 frominadvertently becoming misaligned with or removed from the frame 60 whenthe chair 20 is in use. In addition, as mentioned, attaching the cover34 in this way also creates the appearance of a seam 104 (FIG. 1) whichcan increase the aesthetic appearance of the finished chair 20.

As shown in FIG. 8, after the cover 34 is affixed to the back panelpiece 94, a seat cushion 110 is inserted under the cover 34. The seatcushion 110 can be made of foam or other material. The seat cushion 110may be affixed in place by staples, adhesive, or similar, or may be heldin place by the cover 34. The seat cushion 110 is inserted at thisstage, so as to simplify the procedure for attaching of the cover 34 tothe back panel piece 94.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cover 34 is then drawn over the remainder of thechair 20, which can then be turned upside-down to permit affixing theopening edge 112 of the cover 34 to the base 68. In this embodiment,staples 114 are used to affix the cover 34 to the base 68.

FIG. 10 shows a bottom layer of finishing fabric 116 installed over theopening edge 112 of the cover 34. Feet 118, such as pieces of soft,low-friction material (e.g., thick fabric), are then affixed to the base68. In other embodiments, the feet 118 can be caster wheels, peg feet,ornate legs made of wood, plastic, or other material. In still otherembodiments, the bottom of the chair can be provided with a swivel orrocker instead of feet.

As shown in FIG. 10A, in some embodiments, sports equipment or piecesthereof can be used as feet 119. In this example, hockey pucks areaffixed (e.g., via screws) to the base 68 of the chair 20 to support thechair 20.

FIG. 11 shows that, according to another embodiment, the cover 34 may bea removable slip cover provided with an elastic 120 sewn inside a seamat the opening edge 112 of the cover 34. In other embodiments, adrawstring can be inserted into the seam rather than the elastic. Thiscan advantageously permit the cover 34 to be removed easily withouttools, so that the cover 34 may be machine laundered or replaced with anew or different cover. In this embodiment, the cover 34 is not affixedto the frame 60 at 106 (FIG. 7) or is attached to the frame 60 at 106using temporary fasteners, so as to allow the slip cover 34 to beremoved without tools. The slip cover 34 can be removably attached tothe chair 20 by temporary fasteners such as one or more zippers,hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro), clips, or similar.

FIG. 11A shows a zipper 122 attaching the slip cover 34 to the chair 20.One side of the zipper 122 can be sewn to the opening edge 112 of thecover 34, while the other side of the zipper 122 can be sewn tofinishing fabric installed over the base 68. The cover 34 can then beattached and removed by zipping and unzipping the zipper 122.

Construction of the chair 20 can follow the general sequence shown inFIGS. 2-11A or another suitable sequence. First, the frame is built upover at least a portion of a plastic lawn or deck chair (FIGS. 2 and 3).Then, cushioning material is installed over the built-up frame (FIGS. 4,5, 5A, 8). The cover is then installed over the cushioning material andthe bottom of the chair is finished (FIGS. 6-11A).

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of a frame 130 for the chair 20. Theframe 130 can be used in place of the frame 60. The frame 130 caninclude a backrest 132, a seat 134, armrests 136, and a lower supportingportion 138. The lower supporting portion 138 is sized and shaped tosupport the seat 134 and a person therein. The lower supporting portion138 may include a recess or opening 142 for providing a drawer or otherfeature to the chair 20. The seat 134 may include a dished recess 144for receiving cushioning material for comfort. In some embodiments, theframe 130 is substantially the same as the built-up frame 60, exceptthat the frame 130 is made as a unitary structure from material such asplastic. In such embodiments, the one or more pieces of the frame 130can be blow molded, injection molded, or made with similar techniques.The frame 130 can therefore be light and strong, yet simple andrelatively easy to mass produce.

FIG. 13 shows a chair 150 according to another embodiment. The chair 150is similar to the chair 20 and only differences will be discussed indetail. For other features, the description for the chair 20 can bereferenced. The chair 150 includes an opening 152 in a lower supportingportion 154. The opening is sized and shaped to receive a sliding drawer156. In this embodiment, the opening 152 is positioned on the front ofthe lower supporting portion 154. The chair 150 can include a frontsupport (e.g., front support 72 of FIG. 2) to define the opening 152 andaffix runners, if used, for the drawer 156.

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of the chair 150 with the drawer 156 in theside of the lower supporting portion 154. In other embodiments, thedrawer 156 can be provided at other locations, such as the back. In someembodiments, more than one drawer 156 is provided.

In the chair 150, when a plastic portion with legs, such as the plasticchair 62 (FIG. 2), is used for the frame, the drawer 156 is disposedbetween two of the legs. This can advantageously allow for efficient useof space.

FIG. 15 shows a chair 160 according to another embodiment. The chair 160is similar to the chair 20 and only differences will be discussed indetail. For other features, the description for the chair 20 can bereferenced. The chair 160 includes a plush ornament 162 affixed to thelower supporting portion 164 of the chair 160 using stitching 166,fasteners, or the similar. Characteristics and advantages of such aplush ornament 162 are described above with reference to FIG. 1. Inother embodiments, the plush ornament 162 can be provided at otherlocations, such as the side or back of the lower supporting portion 164.In some embodiments, more than one plush ornament 162 is provided. Theplush ornament 162 may be affixed (e.g., sewn) to the chair 160 orattached in a removable manner using hook-and-loop material (e.g.,Velcro), clips, or similar temporary fastener.

FIG. 16 shows a chair 170 according to another embodiment. The chair 170is similar to the chair 20 and only differences will be discussed indetail. For other features, the description for the chair 20 can bereferenced. The chair 170 includes a recess 172 in the lower supportingportion 174 of the chair. Characteristics and advantages of such arecess 172 are described above with reference to FIG. 1. In otherembodiments, the recess 172 can be provided at other locations, such asthe side or back of the lower supporting portion 174. In someembodiments, more than one recess 172 is provided, and such recesses maybe separate or may be connected inside the lower supporting portion 174.

FIG. 17 shows a chair 180 according to another embodiment. The chair 180is similar to the chair 20 and only differences will be discussed indetail. For other features, the description for the chair 20 can bereferenced. The chair 180 includes a sports equipment holder than has anopening 182 in the top of the backrest. The opening 182 opens into ahollow tube 184 positioned inside the backrest. The hollow tube 184 maybe made of plastic or other material and may be situated between thebackrest of the plastic chair 62 and the back panelling 82 (see FIGS. 2and 3). The hollow tube 184 may be affixed in place by straps, screws,staples, or the like. A piece of sports equipment 186, such as a hockeystick, baseball bat, golf club, tennis racquet, or the like, may beinserted into the opening 182 and held in position by the hollow tube184. This can allow the chair 180 to display the piece of sportsequipment 186.

FIG. 18 shows a chair frame 190 according to another embodiment. Theframe 190 is similar to the frame 60 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and onlydifferences will be discussed in detail. For other features, thedescription for the frame 60 can be referenced. The frame 190 includes aplastic chair 62 that has the entire length or nearly the entire lengthif its legs removed (or omitted in the case of a custom-made plasticchair). A structural base 192, such as a stationary box or rockermechanism, can be attached to the bottom of the legless chair 62 tosupport the finished chair 20 above the ground. When a stationary box isused, the box can include openings for drawers or other storage.

It should be apparent from the above that the present invention providesa chair or other piece of furniture that may have one or more of theadvantages of light weight, high strength and weight capacity, highstrength-to-weight ratio, efficient construction, a construction thatreadily permits providing a feature at a lower portion near the floor, adurable cover, a removable slip cover, a cover that is readily made froma sports jersey.

In further embodiments, aspects described herein are used in aconventional chair that does not include a plastic frame portion, suchas a premade plastic chair. For instance, the slip cover 34 can beapplied to such a chair. Further, the drawer, recess, plush ornament,piece of sports equipment, or other feature can each be applied to achair that does not include a plastic frame portion. In addition, thesports equipment feet and/or sports equipment holder with the opening atthe backrest can also be applied to a chair that does not include aplastic frame portion.

Further, it is noted that this disclosure is not limited to furniture todisplay sports jerseys and sports equipment. For example, the teachingsof this disclosure can be used to make a bedroom-style chair withsuitable cover material and legs, without the use of a sports jersey orsporting equipment. Moreover, different, non-jersey materials can beused for the cover, such as sports jackets (e.g., varsity jackets),tracksuits, T-shirts, and the like.

While the foregoing provides certain non-limiting example embodiments,it should be understood that combinations, subsets, and variations ofthe foregoing are contemplated. The monopoly sought is defined by theclaims.

1.-28. (canceled)
 29. A method of making a piece of furniture forseating at least one person, the method comprising: molding a rigidframe from plastic, the rigid frame being a unitary structure having aseat shaped to accommodate at least one seated person, the seat having aconvexly curved front edge; a backrest extending upwards from the seat;a base for resting on a floor; and a lower supporting portion extendingvertically from the convexly curved front edge of the seat to the baseand extending around at least a portion of a front of the piece offurniture and sides of the piece of furniture; the seat further having acentral dished recess for seating the at least one seated person;installing cushioning material over the seat, in the central dishedrecess, and over the backrest; and installing a fabric cover over thecushioning material and over substantially all of the rigid frame. 30.The method of claim 29, wherein molding the rigid frame from plasticcomprises blow molding the rigid frame from plastic.
 31. The method ofclaim 29, wherein molding the rigid frame from plastic comprisesinjection molding the rigid frame from plastic.
 32. The method of claim29, wherein installing a fabric cover comprises installing a slip coverover the cushioning material and over substantially all of the rigidframe.
 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising removableattaching the slip cover using temporary fasteners.
 34. The method ofclaim 29, wherein the fabric cover comprises sports jersey material. 35.The method of claim 34, further comprising making the fabric cover fromstock unstitched jersey pieces including intermediate pieces obtainedfrom a jersey manufacturing process.
 36. The method of claim 29, whereinthe rigid frame further includes armrests and wherein no opening existsbetween the armrests and the seat and no opening exists between thebackrest and the seat.
 37. The method of claim 29, further comprisingattaching a piece of sports equipment to the piece of furniture.
 38. Themethod of claim 37, wherein attaching the piece of sports equipment tothe piece of furniture comprises removably attaching the piece of sportsequipment to the piece of furniture.
 39. The method of claim 29, furthercomprising attaching a player name to the fabric cover.
 40. The methodof claim 39, further comprising attaching a player number to the fabriccover.
 41. The method of claim 40, further comprising attaching a teamlogo to the fabric cover.
 42. The method of claim 29, further comprisingattaching a plush ornament to the piece of furniture.